1. Field of the Invention
In general the novel invention is directed to an improved structure for a portable drill bit storage rack wherein drill bits are inserted for storage between uses. The overall drill bit storage rack is provided with a frictional engagement sleeve that retains the bits in a single row but which allows selective removal of a drill bit from the storage rack. In particular, the present invention relates specifically to an ergonometrically improved tool bit holder and presenter apparatus that stores bits side-by-side.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Workers, especially electricians, must often work in areas in which it is difficult to get to a tool chest. These same workers, however, must often perform a variety of functions, each requiring a different tool or a different tool bit. Workers, therefore, generally carry a multiplicity of tools in a tool belt or tool kit. Even the most skilled worker, however, looses time removing and inserting tool bits in his belt. Workers also loose time searching for lost tools that they have set down at different locations. Furthermore, a tool belt with all the necessary tools can become quite disorganized leading to increased worker fatigue and more inefficient use of time. It is desirable, therefore, to have a single tool bit holder that can be detachably affixed to a power drill or other power hand tool that utilizes different bits. Prior art attempts at providing such a bit holder resulted in a structure that made it difficult to grasp individual bits because the bits were arrayed in a matrix or in a circular pattern around a chuck. This arrangement makes it difficult to grasp a bit with two opposing fingers and remove it. In addition, the circular arrangement as well as arrangements that have individual apertures and holes in which to insert bits after use are cumbersome to use and difficult for a worker wearing work gloves to efficiently insert the bits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,205, which issued to Spaulding on Nov. 27, 1990 provides a bit holding apparatus wherein a hand drill includes a conventionally configured elongate housing with an elongate orthogonally extending handle relative thereto, with a forwardly mounted collet to receive drill bits therewithin. The apparatus further includes a transparent drill bit housing pivotally mounted to an upper surface of the central housing body of the drill formed with a snap-fit cover to receive drill bits in a convenient and accessible manner. A bifurcated chuck-key holder includes resilient legs defining a slot to resiliently secure a chuck-key therewithin.
On Jul. 30, 1991 U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,553 issued to Lo for an improved drill bit storage rack which allows for the user to insert the drill bit into the drill bit storage rack by grasping the handle portion of the drill bit. In this manner, the user's hand is protected by holding the drill bit by the handle portion and not being either cut or burned by grasping the drill bit blade. The two major drawbacks with this structure are that it is difficult to identify the bit needed when retrieval is necessary and nowadays workers use work gloves to protect their hands.
On Jun. 22, 2004 Wadsworth further advanced the art with U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,268 for a magnetically holdable drill bit. This patent teaches an invention to provide a quick-change tool element wherein at least two or more working tools are simultaneously attracted, held and served by a magnet to prevent loss of tool bits from the chuck of a hand drill where the grip of the jaws has somewhat slackened. Wadsworth brings a magnetized bit into contact with the interior of the drill, while simultaneously holding a screw or other object by magnetism at the other, exposed end of the tool element. A few weeks later on Jul. 13, 2004 Beauchamp received U.S. Pat. No. 6,761,095 for a bit holder arrayed circularly around the drill shaft. The Beauchamp bit holder is (a) a shaft adapted at one end for releasably mounting to the drill chuck, and at the other end for releasably mounting tool bits therein; and, (b) a circular storage rack for releasably storing tool bits in a nested fashion around the shaft such that the drill shaft and the nested storage rotate in unison with the drill chuck.
U.S. Patent Publication 0139831 published on Jul. 22, 2004 by Nagy teaches a tool for housing and supplying bits through an elongated tube of a screw driver or drill to a forward presentation for use. The housing has a rotatable storage holder mounted in the housing for holding and storing a plurality of tool bits and arranged by manual engagement with an exposed side portion to rotate about a second axis parallel to the tube. The rotatable holder has a plurality of receptacles each for receiving a respective one of the tool bits arranged parallel to the second axis and in angularly spaced relation around the second axis.